4 ms·
In this post and the comic it links to there is an awful lot of beating around the bush about who precisely the people are that are grifting stoicism in the var
by dnissley 4y ago
In this post and the comic it links to there is an awful lot of beating around the bush about who precisely the people are that are grifting stoicism in the variety of ways presented. Why not name names? Does anyone know who they are talking about?
I looked up the "bomber pilot in Vietnam who kept a copy of Epictetus in the plane" and it appears to be James Stockdale who was apparently a prisoner of war on Vietnam for many years -- which actually does sound like a situation Stoic philosophy would be useful in. Very different than the strawman presented in the comic: "I always carry a copy of Epictetus's work while I'm bombing villages, so I can use his wisdom to make their screams not affect me".
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- linschn 4y agoHe is named in the text, and the reason as to why he is justly criticized (he witnessed the USA's false flag operation that started the Vietnam War, yet kept silent and participated in the hostilities) is also spelled out.
- ealexhudson 4y agoThis is kind of addressed in the article. The specific difference between using stoic techniques/mindsets to do something, versus actually adhering to stoic philosophy. I think the "strawman" hits the nail on the head in that regard. The article discusses the capture/torture/etc in some significant detail. Search for "unjust war".
- seanhunter 4y agoThis is discussed at length including immediately naming Stockdale direcly below that cartoon image.